diff --git a/cmd/wasm/main.go b/cmd/wasm/main.go
index fe79af2..8fb4fed 100644
--- a/cmd/wasm/main.go
+++ b/cmd/wasm/main.go
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@ func renderToString(_ js.Value, args []js.Value) any {
 	}
 
 	variant := args[0].String()
-	ctx := html.NewContext()
-
+	locale := ""
 	if len(args) >= 2 && args[1].Type() == js.TypeString {
-		ctx.SetLocale(args[1].String())
+		locale = args[1].String()
 	}
+	ctx := html.NewContext(locale)
 
 	layout := html.NewLayout(variant)
 
diff --git a/context.go b/context.go
index d0864be..cdb8f1c 100644
--- a/context.go
+++ b/context.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ type Translator interface {
 
 // context.go: Context carries rendering state through the node tree.
 // Example: NewContext("en-GB") initialises locale-specific rendering state.
+// Locale and translator selection happen at construction time.
 type Context struct {
 	Identity     string
 	Locale       string
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ func NewContext(locale ...string) *Context {
 		Data: make(map[string]any),
 	}
 	if len(locale) > 0 {
-		ctx.SetLocale(locale[0])
+		ctx.Locale = locale[0]
 	}
 	return ctx
 }
@@ -71,32 +72,7 @@ func NewContext(locale ...string) *Context {
 // An optional locale may be provided as the second argument.
 func NewContextWithService(svc Translator, locale ...string) *Context {
 	ctx := NewContext(locale...)
-	ctx.SetService(svc)
-	return ctx
-}
-
-// context.go: SetService swaps the translator used by the context.
-// Example: ctx.SetService(svc).
-func (ctx *Context) SetService(svc Translator) *Context {
-	if ctx == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	ensureContextDefaults(ctx)
 	ctx.service = svc
 	applyLocaleToService(svc, ctx.Locale)
 	return ctx
 }
-
-// context.go: SetLocale updates the context locale and reapplies it to the active translator.
-// Example: ctx.SetLocale("en-US").
-func (ctx *Context) SetLocale(locale string) *Context {
-	if ctx == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	ensureContextDefaults(ctx)
-	ctx.Locale = locale
-	applyLocaleToService(ctx.service, ctx.Locale)
-	return ctx
-}
diff --git a/context_test.go b/context_test.go
index 272fe85..d316590 100644
--- a/context_test.go
+++ b/context_test.go
@@ -23,50 +23,28 @@ func (t *localeTranslator) SetLanguage(language string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func TestContext_SetService_AppliesLocale(t *testing.T) {
+func TestContext_NewContextWithService_AppliesLocale(t *testing.T) {
 	svc := &localeTranslator{}
-	ctx := NewContext("fr-FR")
-
-	if got := ctx.SetService(svc); got != ctx {
-		t.Fatal("SetService should return the same context for chaining")
-	}
+	ctx := NewContextWithService(svc, "fr-FR")
 
 	if svc.language != "fr" {
-		t.Fatalf("SetService should apply locale to translator, got %q", svc.language)
+		t.Fatalf("NewContextWithService should apply locale to translator, got %q", svc.language)
 	}
 
 	if got := Text("prompt.yes").Render(ctx); got != "o" {
-		t.Fatalf("SetService locale translation = %q, want %q", got, "o")
+		t.Fatalf("NewContextWithService locale translation = %q, want %q", got, "o")
 	}
 }
 
-func TestContext_SetLocale_AppliesLocale(t *testing.T) {
+func TestContext_NewContextWithService_UsesLocale(t *testing.T) {
 	svc := &localeTranslator{}
-	ctx := NewContextWithService(svc)
-
-	if got := ctx.SetLocale("en-GB"); got != ctx {
-		t.Fatal("SetLocale should return the same context for chaining")
-	}
+	ctx := NewContextWithService(svc, "en-GB")
 
 	if svc.language != "en" {
-		t.Fatalf("SetLocale should apply locale to translator, got %q", svc.language)
+		t.Fatalf("NewContextWithService should apply locale to translator, got %q", svc.language)
 	}
 
 	if got := Text("prompt.yes").Render(ctx); got != "y" {
-		t.Fatalf("SetLocale translation = %q, want %q", got, "y")
-	}
-}
-
-func TestContext_SetService_NilContext(t *testing.T) {
-	var ctx *Context
-	if got := ctx.SetService(nil); got != nil {
-		t.Fatal("SetService on nil context should return nil")
-	}
-}
-
-func TestContext_SetLocale_NilContext(t *testing.T) {
-	var ctx *Context
-	if got := ctx.SetLocale("en-GB"); got != nil {
-		t.Fatal("SetLocale on nil context should return nil")
+		t.Fatalf("NewContextWithService translation = %q, want %q", got, "y")
 	}
 }